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Eco Info

We aim to live up to the definition of eco tourism as laid out by the Nature Conservancy:

Ecotourism can be distinguished from nature tourism by its emphasis on conservation, education, traveler responsibility and active community participation. Specifically, ecotourism possesses the following characteristics:

Conscientious, low-impact visitor behavior
Sensitivity towards, and appreciation of, local cultures and biodiversity
Support for local conservation efforts
Sustainable benefits to local communities
Local participation in decision-making
Educational components for both the traveler and local communities

There is certainly room for improvement but we are trying!

In particular we support the Orca Project, the Whale and Dolphin Conservation Society , Southern Seabird Solutions, and the NZ Forest & Bird Society either financially, by promoting their work, or through practical help.

Proud sponsor and supporter of Fish Forever, marine sanctuary in the Bay of Islands.

The Manawanui has its own sewage treatment system and all our detergents and cleaning products are made by the good people at the Eco Store http://www.ecostore.co.nz/. The bulk of our fruit and vegetables have been grown locally and, were possible, organically.

So does that mean that I have to hug trees on your cruise?

No, it doesn’t. We’re not the preachy type. However, if some of our passion and enthusiasm for all things oceanic rub off on you then we consider our aim achieved.

If you are interested (or bored) you can have a look at our Environmental Plan below.

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Ecocruz Bay of Islands Environmental Plan

This is our Environmental Plan. It is very much a work in progress. We would like to point out that Ecocruz fully complies with all environmental legislation currently in place in New Zealand. This Plan addresses factors which are currently not sufficiently legislated in New Zealand (in our very biased opinion). We are always interested in learning about new technologies and systems that reduce environmental impact. If you have any suggestions we would love to hear about them. Please bear in mind though that our “company” comprises of two guys and a dog, and as such our means are somewhat limited.

Issue	Problem	Solution	Implement by	Evaluation
Anti Fouling	Protective paint leeches toxins into the water.	No anti-fouling paint but use: -Diver once a week to clean hull -Look into alternative systems	?	Dive-clean is cost prohibitive at this stage No non-toxic alternative systems available yet.
Black water	Even though our black water is treated before discharge, it is still an avoidable impact	Now that adequate shore based treatment facilities exist a holding tank / shore-pump out set up would be the best method	Next haul out. June 2008
Grey Water:	Grey water (shower, dishes) is being discharged untreated	Now that adequate shore based treatment facilities exist a holding tank / shore-pump out set up would be the best method	Next haul out. June 2008
Fresh Water	Excessive freshwater consumption.	-Use deck sheet to collect rainwater -Saltwater tap to be fitted at galley sink for rinsing dishes -Hose fitting to be fitted on deck for passengers to rinse of after swimming as opposed to having a shower.	Completed. August 2004 Next haul out. June 2008 June 2007	Works well
Noise	Noise levels emitted by engine and pumps could be reduced to lower impact above and below water.	Above water: - Soundproof engine room - Rubber mount pumps Below water: - Look into sound proofing bilges. -Rubber mount main engines - Flexible coupling fitted to propellor shaft	Completed August 2006 Completed August 2006 Next haul out. June 2008 Next haul out. June 2008 Completed August 2007	Better but still noisy Better but still noisy Not sure how to do this in a wet bilge. Messy and risk of rust. Needs further investigation Costly, but should be worth it. Reduced noise and vibration
Detergents	Environmental impact	Use only bio-degradable products	Completed 2001	Eco Store products appear to have the least impact and work well.
Waste	Lack of facilities in Paihia make recycling difficult	Separate plastics, cans and glass and drive it to the nearest recycling facility once a week	Completed 2006	Works well
Bilges	Bilge water, normally discharged overboard contains contaminants like oil, etc	Bilge water from engine room to be collected and taken to collection point	Completed 2004	Works well
Alternative Energy	Relying on diesel driven engines for power generation is an avoidable strain on the environment	Installation of wind turbines Installation of solar panels	June 2007 Fitted October 2007 June 2007 August 2008	Wind turbines are noisy and potentially dangerous in high winds. They also send vibrations through the rigging and hull, weakening them over time. Somewhat noisy. Reasonable energy output. Solar panels have limited success in NZ due to limited amount of sunshine and intensity (lux) Great! They put out a lot of power even on overcast days.

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